The Lakeland Community College Career Services Office has a new online portal to find employment opportunities as well as announcements regarding area hiring events. The new platform is powered by Symplicity, a career services software company that works with hundreds of higher education and government agencies including Bronx Community College, Maricopa Community College, Georgia Tech and Harvard, Purdue and Yale universities.

In addition to serving current students, the portal is also open to Lakeland alumni and any member of the public.

"As an institution that strives to meet the needs of the region, it was important to us that this new platform also be accessible to fellow members of our community who may be looking for work," said Rhonda Butler, interim director of career services and employer relations coordinator.

The need for a new job portal was prompted to keep up-to-date with changes in technology as well as provide a secure place for users to store resumes and supporting documents. It serves as a one-stop shop to manage all job search-related activities.

Community members seeking employment are invited to create an account at lakelandcc.edu/careers and click on the "Alumni/Community" button.

The career services center will also offer free, virtual job-seeking workshops. Participation is free and open the public and will take place via the Cisco Webex platform. Each workshop session is limited to 20 participants; registration closes two days before each scheduled workshop.

With many interviews now conducted online, upcoming workshops will focus on live-video interview techniques and include:

• "You're on mute! – and Other Things to Watch Out For Online," Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, from noon – 1 p.m. The virtual environment is here to stay whether it is for class or work. Get tips on how to polish your online presence.

• "Tell Me About a Time When... Impress Your Interviewer and Get the Job!" Wednesday, March 24, 2020, from noon – 1 p.m., and Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 5–6 p.m. Interviewing for a job can be challenging and often nerve-wracking. Learn how to better understand behavioral interview questions and give responses that employers want to hear.

Assistance with career coaching, resume development and interview preparation is also available to community members.

To schedule an appointment, job seekers should contact career services at 440.525.7222 or careerservices@lakelandcc.edu and provide three days and times of availability along with the communication preference of either telephone or video chat. For more information, visit lakelandcc.edu/careers.

Please note: Lakeland will be closed for the holiday break beginning Dec. 23 and reopen Jan. 4.

By: Jessica Novak